"HACK" by Melissa Plaut

Saw the information on your book by accident and am sitting here kicking myself. I was a female cabbie in NYC, too and had SEVERAL passengers tell me to write a book. Some of the crew from Saturday Night Live said that I should call it, "The Other Side of Yellow". An artist from Australia offered to do the cover for... free. Unfortunately, had to leave NYC because of an abusive husband and switched to driving a semi over the road. Started the book several times, but never finished.

Anyway, just wanted to say congratulations. People don't realize how rare it is to see a female cabbie in NYC. It takes BALLS!! Keep it up and enjoy life.....Read More

Hi I haven't your book yet but I will. I'm a fan simply because you wrote it. I know a dozen cab drivers who are writing books that never get finished - including myself. I have a blog http://phantomcabdriverphites.blogspot.com/ but it's of a political nature. The mayor of San Francisco is trying to steal all the cabs ...and sell them. I have a question. Someone told me that there are no illegal cabs in New York City. This sound completely bogus. Do you know anything about the subject?Read More

Hi Melissa,

My day was made a few weeks ago when a girl in my van asked me how I got into being a shuttle van driver. I told her, I read this book , Hack. Turns out she was your friend, Vicky (if I remeber corectly). I read your book last year before quiting my high paying gig at a software company. I went to Iraq for a... year long contract and actually got bored, came home early and am now pretty contently driving the van all around South Florida awaiting acceptance to law school in the fall. For someone with no passion for his corporate gig, your book struck a chord and now as an actual driver it resonates true again at that level. I love the conversations, driving to South Beach, and the randomness. I fear the constant threat of accidents, loathe the Broward County Sheriff's Office when going to the port and have to deal with a loony boss barking through the Nextel.
I salute you for being adventurous and finding success along the way. I can only hope to be as lucky.Read More

Hello Melissa, I just got your book from my aunt, I love it. I drive cab in Madison, WI..I started in July 2004 and have been at it ever since. I don't see myself doing anything else, ever. So much of what you've said so far, (I'm half way through) rings so true even for us small city cabbies... It is kinda nice to ...know there
are parallels or truths which transfer from city to city or cabbie to cabbie. The lingo in New York is a little bit different. But mostly everything else is the same. I just book marked your blog, and when I have a moment will kick off a small letter..

A little about Union Cab:

Our cab company is actually a worker owned and operated cooperative, you can check us out online by searching Union Cab of Madison, WI. We (the workers), commonly and lovingly refer to Union as, "The Island of Misfit Toys". Oops, hit the word limit..morelaterperhaps.
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My sister and I, huge fan of your blog, can't wait to read your book. On my college breaks we would sit and read your blog together. Now that she is in college, on her break we are going to sit and read your book.

I wonder what your next adventure will be. I did Manhattan real estate for a year, that was cool. It was... amazing all the crappy and grand apartments (sales & rentals), but what takes your breath away is how much people are willing to pay for either of them.
To save money for school, I became a licensed NYC tour guide on those "annoying" red double deck buses. I really like encouraging my tourist to yell at strangers.

Have fun in your next adventure, keep promoting your book and write another. Not that I am commanding you at all. I am just being selfish for wanting to read more from you.

Have a great day.Read More

Hi! I visited New York for the first time last week, and due to my requirement that my husband and I had to eat a knish at the famous Yonah Schimmel knishery, I discovered your book after we were wandering around on foot afterward. McNally Jackson over off Lafayette had it on prominent display and I opened it up and ...became extremely interested right away, probably for the same reason I liked "Kitchen Confidential" so much. From the little bit I managed to read standing there in the store, I decided that you were someone who needed to have some of my money in her pocket. I tore through the book at lightning speed on the train and loved every bit of it. Both my husband and I had finished the book by the end of the trip, and we'll keep our eyes peeled in case you put out anything else in the future. Bravo!

And the knish was quite good as well!Read More